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Spring break is coming and I, for one, can hardly wait. Last year we did Disney World. It was blazing hot, crowded as all get out, and yet it still managed to be serious fun for the young and old crowd alike. I’ve decided that the secret to tackling the magic mouse with small kids is to bring a gaggle of adults with you. That way you have multiple ways to hand off children and enjoy a bit of the fun yourself. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a theme park? I love the rides, the atmosphere and, depending on where I’m at, the food (think Dole pineapple whips in Magic Kingdom – yummo!). Watching the kid’s expressions of joy is gift enough, but if I can throw a spin on the rockin’ roller coaster into the mix, the trip is blissfully complete.

I find it amazing that after almost two years of blogging, I’ve never put up a Dutch recipe. I have a handful that I always tell myself I need to cook, but for some reason I have yet to put pan to stove and do it. You see, the Netherlands and I share a bit of history.

It all began way, way, WAY back my during my senior year in high school when we had a rotary student from Holland come study in my hometown for the year. Her name was Elvira and she and I instantly hit it off. When the year ended and it was time for her to leave, I had a hard time saying goodbye. I decided then and there that I would head overseas the following summer and spend some time with her family on the other end of the pond.

Elvira (in the middle) and her two sisters

I spent a month overseas and learned how truly American I was. From the languages to the customs to the people, my eyes were opened to many new adventures and lifestyles. I instantly fell in love with the country. Upon coming home, I signed up to spend a semester overseas through my university. I studied the Dutch language and a few months later, I was back on a plane to Utrecht, Holland; this time for six months instead of one.

Me posing in front of a tulip field. Gotta love 90’s fashion.

Anyone who’s ever studied abroad can share with you what an incredible and life changing experience it is. I could practically write a novel about my time there, but I’ll save a few of the stories for later posts and future Dutch recipes, of which I have many.

Of all my European memories, the ones that stick with me the most revolve around the food. Every Wednesday and Saturday I would wander down to the Utrecht farmers market and smell the fresh scent of baked goods wafting through the afternoon air. Fresh stroop wafels, gevulde kookjes and these little treats, poffertjes, filled the bakery carts. When you walked up to the stand they would make them there as you watched and hand a small bucket over, still warm and steaming from the cool winter air.

The Entrance to the Weekly Farmers Market

Typically poffertjes are served up with powdered sugar and butter, but being the precocious food blogger that I am, I decided to take a slight deviation for the norm. I think you’ll be happy that I did.

Start out by warming up a bit of milk in a small saucepan until it’s lukewarm and no hotter. You’ll add in a packet of yeast next and we certainly don’t want to kill those tasty little critters by subjecting them to scalding temps. Set your milk mixture to the side.

In a separate bowl combine together some flour and a pinch of salt. Traditional poffertjes call for buckwheat flour, but I didn’t have any on hand so I used all purpose. If you have buckwheat, feel free to do half and half for a more classic dutch treat.

Make a well in the center of the flour and slowly pour your milk in, stirring as you go.

Once the milk is incorporated, stir in an egg, a little lemon zest and a splash of almond extract.

Now set that beautiful batter to the side and let it rest covered for about 45 minutes.

While your batter is resting, you’ll grab up a few handfuls of your favorite berries and a little maple syrup. Toss it into a small saucepan and heat it up for about 5 minutes to incorporate the flavors. You can use a spoon to mash up the berries a bit and release all that fab flavor into the syrup. Emulsify if desired, strain out the skins/seeds and keep your syrup warm.

Once the batter is ready to cook up, heat a poffertje pan on medium and add a little butter to each pocket. If you don’t have a special pan, you can also use a pancake griddle. They won’t be as round, but trust me, they’ll still be plenty tasty.

Spoon in a bit of the batter to each pocket and let it cook up for a minute or two on each side.

Drizzle a little of the warmed syrup over the top and dust with a sprinkle of powdered sugar to finish it off. Smakelijk Eten!

Directions:

Form a well in the flour and slowly add in the milk mixture, stirring to incorporate.

Add in the egg, lemon zest, and almond extract.

Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.

If you have a poofertje pan, that works best, but you can also just make mini pancakes on a griddle. Melt a bit of butter in your pan (or on the griddle) and spoon a small amount of batter into each hole. Cook for a minute or two on each side until golden brown and cooked through.

In a small saucepan, heat the berries and maple syrup for about 5 minutes or until the juice begins to release. You can smash them a bit with a spoon to help the process along.

If desired, emulsify, strain out the berry seeds/skins and serve syrup warm over poffertjes.

Granola bars are a hot ticket item in this house. Believe it or not, we eat our way through about six to eight boxes a week. My husband fancies them as an accompaniment to his morning cup of freshly brewed joe. And, in the spirit of true marital bliss, I’ll wholeheartedly agree with his start of the day assessment. The kids love that they can bound downstairs in the morning and grab their favorite flavor; no adult intervention required. As you can probably guess, I appreciate this aspect as well.

As I sit here sipping on a hot cup of coffee, cat purring lightly by my side, toddler still swimming in the pleasantry of dreams upstairs, I’m struck by the quiet stillness of the crisp morning slowly welcoming the sun on it’s horizon. This is my favorite time of the day. Just me and the sunrise. No diapers to change, no groceries to garner, no runny noses to wipe. With my feet up on the table and my computer strategically positioned across my lap, I click away at the keys and gaze out the windows of my warm, cozy family room to the wide open world beyond. Small thoughts flit through my mind. What do I need to get accomplished today? Will chicken or fish be on tonight’s dinner menu? Will the boys have a good day at school today? I slowly feel my body waking up as a first and then a second gulp of caffeine goodness permeates my being.

It’s the simple pleasures that have the most meaning after all. This tart is a compilation of simple pleasures for me. Caramelized onions meet cheese meet egg meet crust. One warming bite can put a smile across my face and ready me for whatever the day might bring.

Do you ever envision what your retirement will be like? Maybe you imagine yourself living on a beach somewhere in a small cabana, with your feet nestled in the warm soft sand while you sip on a cool refreshing drink. Or perhaps your idea of retirement is retreating up to the snowy mountains in a quaint chalet with your better half, a space big enough for the grand kids to come visit but small enough to live in without getting lost (and if you’re my husband, a back door walkout to the ski slopes wouldn’t hurt either).

I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. Our family made the decision to pack into the car and venture out to the Smoky Mountains to spend the holiday camping; a Griswold family vacation at it’s finest. We originally intended to stay through Monday, but tropical storm Lee had other plans. We debated sticking it out but in the end, the thought of trying to pack up camp in the pouring rain with three wet children in tow didn’t bode well for our sanity, so we headed home a day early. Despite the unplanned departure, we had a swimmingly good time with the days we did have and I think the boys really enjoyed this final sendoff to summer.

The boys playing in the water at Cliffside Recreation Area in Highlands, NC